American Orff-Schulwerk Associationhttp://aosa.org
Release The Creativity In Every LearnerTue, 19 Sep 2017 17:37:30 +0000en-UShourly1Applications for the AOSA Digital Mentor Program Due October 1http://aosa.org/applications-aosa-digital-mentor-program-due-october-18/
Thu, 07 Sep 2017 18:38:35 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=9152The objective of the Digital Mentor Program is to pair experienced Orff Schulwerk teachers (mentors), with newly trained Orff Schulwerk teachers or teacher educators (mentees), for the purpose of improving the practice of those who request mentorship. You must be a member of AOSA to participate in this program. Visit our Digital Mentor Program page... Read more »

]]>The objective of the Digital Mentor Program is to pair experienced Orff Schulwerk teachers (mentors), with newly trained Orff Schulwerk teachers or teacher educators (mentees), for the purpose of improving the practice of those who request mentorship. You must be a member of AOSA to participate in this program. Visit our Digital Mentor Program page on the member-side (you will need to be logged in) to learn more and to access the application form that is due on October 1, 2017.

]]>Orff Echo Seeking Submissions for the Summer 2018 Issuehttp://aosa.org/orff-echo-seeking-submissions-summer-2018-issue/
Tue, 05 Sep 2017 21:13:13 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=9157The Orff Echo editorial board is seeking submissions for our Summer 2018 issue. The featured topic is The First Five Years of Teaching: Surviving, Thriving, and Embarking on the Orff Approach. The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2017. The first five years of teaching can be extremely challenging, yet also filled with excitement, fulfillment,... Read more »

]]>The Orff Echo editorial board is seeking submissions for our Summer 2018 issue. The featured topic is The First Five Years of Teaching: Surviving, Thriving, and Embarking on the Orff Approach. The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2017.

The first five years of teaching can be extremely challenging, yet also filled with excitement, fulfillment, and unlimited learning opportunities. These years play a critical role in teachers’ decisions to remain in a teaching career or explore other possibilities. This issue will examine the challenges new music teachers face, and the impact of the Orff Schulwerk approach during the formative teaching years and beyond. We encourage writers to reflect on their teaching experiences and those of colleagues as they consider the following questions:

• What challenges do new music educators face during the first five years of teaching?
• What advice about teaching can new music educators share with each other?
• What is, or what might be, the role of the Orff Schulwerk approach during the first five years of teaching?
• What are the successes and challenges of incorporating the Orff Schulwerk approach at different points in an educator’s career?
• What wisdom and advice can experienced Orff Schulwerk educators share with less-experienced educators?
• What might be the role of teacher education programs in facilitating early access to Orff Schulwerk pedagogy and teacher education?
• What might be the role of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association in connecting with pre-service teacher education programs and teacher induction and mentorship programs?

The Orff Echo is always interested in original research and informative, lively articles covering all other aspects of Orff Schulwerk—movement, improvisation, play, and singing. Our format allows for submissions focused on your area of interest in addition to our featured topic.

Please contact Chet-Yeng Loong (chetyeng@hawaii.edu), Lisa Lehmberg (lehmberg@umass.edu), or Matthew Stensrud (mstensrud@gmail.com) with submissions, proposals, and questions regarding the Summer 2018 issue, The First Five Years of Teaching: Surviving, Thriving, and Embarking on the Orff Approach.

]]>Performing Group Applications for the 2018 Conference in Cincinnatihttp://aosa.org/session-proposals-2018-conference-cincinnati/
Tue, 05 Sep 2017 18:05:52 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=8953The 2018 AOSA Profesional Development Conference will take place in Cincinnati, Ohio from November 7-10, 2018. Applications for children and adult performing groups are due January 15, 2018. Please use Performance Group Application for either children’s or adult groups.

]]>The 2018 AOSA Profesional Development Conference will take place in Cincinnati, Ohio from November 7-10, 2018. Applications for children and adult performing groups are due January 15, 2018. Please use Performance Group Application for either children’s or adult groups.

In celebrating 50 years of Orff Schulwerk in the United States, The Orff Echo editorial board is seeking submissions for our Spring 2018 issue, Orff Schulwerk in America: Our 50th Anniversary Issue.

On May 11, 1968, a group of 10 music educators in Muncie, Indiana established the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. For 50 years “the Schulwerk” has been a foundational part of teacher education and the creative play and musical understanding of countless children. The first issue of The Orff Echo included this quote by Arnold Burkart in the President’s Message: “Thousands of persons on this continent have become fascinated by the potentials of Carl Orff’s philosophies and procedures of music education. Many of us have experienced through teaching the transformation of potential into delightful actualities” (The Orff Echo Vol 1, No. 1). Reflecting on the past while remaining vigilant toward the future, the editorial board seeks submissions on your philosophies and “delightful actualities” of the application of Orff Schulwerk. What draws us to the Schulwerk? How has it evolved? Where do we go from here?
We encourage writers to consider the following questions:

How does Orff Schulwerk align with and/or impact other current approaches to music education?

How are the original Orff Schulwerk source materials used today?

How do the practice and philosophy of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association connect with Orff Schulwerk internationally?

What is the likely direction of Orff Schulwerk in America over the next 50 years?

The Orff Echo is always interested in original research and informative, lively articles covering all other aspects of Orff Schulwerk—movement, improvisation, play, and singing. Our new format allows for submissions focused on your area of interest in addition to our featured topic.
Please contact Richard Lawton (richard@richardlawtonmusic.com) or Nicola F. Mason (Nicola.Mason@eku.edu) with submissions, proposals, and questions regarding the Spring 2018 issue: Orff Schulwerk in America: Our 50th Anniversary Issue.

]]>AOSA Announces New Members of the National Board of Trusteeshttp://aosa.org/aosa-announces-new-members-national-board-trustees/
Wed, 08 Mar 2017 22:00:33 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=8790Congratulations to these members elected to the NBT. Their terms of service will begin on July 1, 2017. AOSA is grateful to all candidates willing to share their time as service leaders. Vice-President – Lisa Hewett Treasurer – Judith Thompson-Barthwell Region I Representative – Jean Fox Region II Representative – Desiree Coulson Region III Representative... Read more »

]]>AOSA Seeks National Conference Chair(s)http://aosa.org/aosa-seeks-national-conference-chairs/
Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:57:28 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=8783The American Orff-Schulwerk Association announces a search for the position of National Conference Chair(s). This position will be comprised of planning and overseeing all aspects of program and local volunteer management of the 2019 AOSA Professional Development Conference, held in November of 2019. This position will begin July 1, 2017 through March 2020. Please read... Read more »

]]>The American Orff-Schulwerk Association announces a search for the position of National Conference Chair(s). This position will be comprised of planning and overseeing all aspects of program and local volunteer management of the 2019 AOSA Professional Development Conference, held in November of 2019.

This position will begin July 1, 2017 through March 2020. Please read the NCC Job Description for more information.

Individuals and two-person teams will be considered. To apply, please send a resume and a statement that details your interest in this position to carrie@aosa.org. Deadline for application is Friday, March 31, 2017.

]]>The Orff Echo solicits articles about international perspectives on Orff Schulwerkhttp://aosa.org/orff-echo-solicits-articles-international-perspectives-orff-schulwerk/
Mon, 20 Feb 2017 22:41:20 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=8741The Orff Echo Editorial Board is soliciting articles for the Winter 2018 issue, “Orff Internacionále.” We invite various types of submissions such as: (1) philosophical and theoretical work reflecting the application of the Schulwerk in classrooms around the world; (2) interpretation and adaptation of Orff pedagogical techniques and instrumentation for world and multicultural music teaching;... Read more »

]]>The Orff Echo Editorial Board is soliciting articles for the Winter 2018 issue, “Orff Internacionále.” We invite various types of submissions such as: (1) philosophical and theoretical work reflecting the application of the Schulwerk in classrooms around the world; (2) interpretation and adaptation of Orff pedagogical techniques and instrumentation for world and multicultural music teaching; (3) empirical and/or historical research related to the Schulwerk from various multicultural and world music perspectives.

We encourage writers to consider the following questions:
1. How is Orff Schulwerk serving the worldwide community?
2. How are teachers applying the Orff approach and educational philosophies to traditional music instruction in the United States and around the world?
3. What philosophical questions arise from the various interpretations of Orff Schulwerk?
4. What resources exist for teachers in the United States and around the world for teaching and learning world music and the Schulwerk?
5. How are teachers adapting the Orff instrumentarium to teach multicultural/world music?
6. What connection exists between Orff Schulwerk and teaching world music?

The Orff Echo Editorial Board is always interested in original research and informative articles covering all aspects of Orff Schulwerk and music education such as movement, play, singing, assessment, and curricular planning. Our format allows for submissions dedicated to your area of interest in addition to our featured topic.

]]>Janet Robbins Awarded AOSA’s Excellence in Research Awardhttp://aosa.org/janet-robbins-awarded-aosas-excellence-research-award/
Mon, 16 Jan 2017 01:44:14 +0000http://aosa.org/?p=8724At the November 2016 AOSA Professional Development Conference, we awarded Dr. Janet Robbins, Professor Emerita of Music Education at West Virginia University, the American Orff-Schulwerk Association’s Excellence in Research Award. In a letter of recommendation submitted by Dr. Martina Vasil, Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Kentucky School of Music, Dr. Robbins... Read more »

]]>At the November 2016 AOSA Professional Development Conference, we awarded Dr. Janet Robbins, Professor Emerita of Music Education at West Virginia University, the American Orff-Schulwerk Association’s Excellence in Research Award. In a letter of recommendation submitted by Dr. Martina Vasil, Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Kentucky School of Music, Dr. Robbins career is described as a “distinguished record of scholarship and research that has contributed to Orff Schulwerk nationally and internationally.” A pioneer in qualitative music education research, Robbins “wrote the first ethnographic dissertation in music education. Her thesis borrowed from ethnographic techniques and anthropologic methods to investigate the “culture” of two elementary Orff music classrooms. This work led to several conference presentations and a publication in The Orff Echo (“A Composing Community: Portrait of an Orff Classroom,” Summer 2002).”

“Her service to the research community of AOSA has been significant. She was the first chair of the AOSA Research Interest Group (RIG) in 1991. In 1993, Dr. Robbins was appointed to the Editorial Board of The Orff Echo, in which she edited the new research column.” From 1993–2001, she solicited and edited 22 articles from teachers/scholars from the United States and abroad. Her two-year investigation of Carl Orff’s life contributed to the success of the 1995 AOSA National Conference celebrating the Carl Orff Centenary. As co-chair of that conference, “she worked with composer Libbey Larsen to mount the premiere performance of her commissioned piece, “Song-Dances to the Light,” which involved over 200 children and orchestra.

“Since 1997, she has published in such journals as Research Studies in Music Education, The Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, Arts Education Policy Review, The Quarterly Journal of Teaching and Learning, The Mountain Lake Reader, Journal of Music TeacherEducation, and The Orff Echo.”

Dr. Janet Robbins, we salute you and we thank you, for these accomplishments and many more. We are grateful to you for your gracious leadership, mentoring and service to our AOSA community. To our friend and colleague, we say, Bravissima!